10 Principles of Disability Justice
source: Sins Invalid
1 / Intersectionality
“We do not live single issue lives” –Audre Lorde. Ableism, coupled with white supremacy, supported by capitalism, underscored by heteropatriarchy, has rendered the vast majority of the world “invalid.”
2 / Leadership of Those Most Impacted
“We are led by those who most know these systems.” –Aurora Levins Morales
3 / Anti-Capitalist Politic
In an economy that sees land and humans as components of profit, we are anti-capitalist by the nature of having non-conforming body/minds.
4 / Commitment to Cross-Movement Organizing
Shifting how social justice movements understand disability and contextualize ableism, disability justice lends itself to politics of alliance.
5 / Recognizing Wholeness
People have inherent worth outside of commodity relations and capitalist notions of productivity. Each person is full of history and life experience.
6 / Sustainability
We pace ourselves, individually and collectively, to be sustained long term. Our embodied experiences guide us toward ongoing justice and liberation.
7 / Commitment to Cross-Disability Solidarity
We honor the insights and participation of all of our community members, knowing that isolation undermines collective liberation.
8 / Interdependence
We meet each others’ needs as we build toward liberation, knowing that state solutions inevitably extend into further control over lives.
9 / Collective Access
As brown, black and queer-bodied disabled people we bring flexibility and creative nuance that go beyond able-bodied/minded normativity, to be in community with each other.
10 / Collective Liberation
No body or mind can be left behind – only moving together can we accomplish the revolution we require.
